Amusement
by warinbabylon
Summary: A trip to the amusement park doesn't end up too nicely.


Disclaimer: It all belongs to BBC. Not mine.

Authors notes: Fourth story in the Nowhere Series. Warning: Major character injury and angst.

**

Amy bounced on her feet and pounded her hands against the window sill   
in agitation. "What time will he be here, Momma?"  
  
Michael added his voice to hers. "Doctor's coming, Momma," he stated   
matter-of-factly.  
  
"You don't remember him," his sister scoffed and turned to give him   
what Tegan lovingly referred to as the 'Jovanka eye'. "You weren't   
old enough to"  
  
"Do to," Mike rocketed back, frowning.   
  
"Do not."  
  
"One more do or do not and Michael, you are going to my room; Amy,   
you are going to yours," Tegan replied from the kitchen. "The Doctor   
will be here when he gets here."  
  
"But he said June 21st, Momma," Amy complained, crossing her small   
arms over her chest.   
  
Tegan sighed and had to swallow a smile at her daughter's actions.   
She had done the same thing when she had traveled with the Doctor.   
He seemed to have that effect on Jovanka-Jones women, she supposed.   
And, she frowned, the Doctor had never said June 21st that year.   
Lord knows when he would turn up.   
  
"Yes, he did," she agreed. "But the Doctor is a very busy" she   
bit her lips when she realized that she almost said 'Time   
Lord'. "He'll be here as soon as he can."  
  
"But Momma," Amy began. Michael wasn't about to be outdone and   
slapped his hands on the window sill.   
  
Tegan lifted an eyebrow and contemplated them both and then with a   
nod to the bedroom she stated: "Look, why don't you two go and make   
sure your bags are packedtoys and clothes, okay? Amy, help your   
brother."  
  
"But Momma," Amy said again.   
  
"He needs your help, Amy. I'm cooking dinner."  
  
With a sigh, her daughter turned to the room and stomped off. Tegan   
waited at the door and smiled at the melodramatic manner Amy had.   
But as the door shut to their bedroom and she turned to cook again,   
there was a soft knock at the door. She opened the door, her mouth   
softened in a smile of greeting. "Doctor, you are pushing the   
dateline on this one."  
  
The Doctor wasn't standing in the hallway. A rather petite busty   
brunette stared back at her with an uncertain grin on her   
features. "Tegan Jones?" the girl asked quietly. "Tegan Jovanka   
Jones?"  
  
"I am she," Tegan answered with a frown. "And you are? I will tell   
you I don't buy anything at the door"  
  
The girl smiled widely. "You're as the Doctor said you would be.   
I'm Peri. Perpugmillim Brown"  
  
"You're Peri," Tegan laughed. She stuck out her hand and took the   
girl's hand in hers warmly. She hadn't expected a woman younger than   
Nyssa to be the Doc's companion now. "Come in." She ushered the   
woman into the warmth of her kitchen. Then a sudden thought sliced   
through her brain like a knife through butter. "Oh Lord."  
  
"What?" Peri asked, suddenly. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I told him not to come back if he's regenerated, changed" Tegan   
whispered. Then she turned to Peri. Her breath was caught in her   
throat and she had a very hard time getting the words out around the   
lump that had formed. Her hands shook as she grabbed at the back of   
the chair. "Has he changed? Regenerated?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Tegan forced herself to take a deep breath. "He hasn't?"  
  
"No."  
  
The answer was in a male's voice and Tegan turned to see the Doctor   
standing in the doorway, dressed in pale, light clothes entirely   
different from his usual cricketing uniform. He gave her a smile and   
greeted Peri warmly. But Peri immediately caught the tone of the   
conversation and continued on it. "Tegan? What were you talking   
about? Regenerating?"  
  
"That's something I think we shall have to discuss at another time,   
Peri," the Doctor answered, his voice tight. "It's rather a drawn   
out and long explanation."  
  
Peri gave the Doctor a look and Tegan felt, as her heart rate slowed,   
that it was obvious that Peri was very much a practical girl pressed   
to her limit by the Gallifreyan. She gave a smile to the present   
companion and it widened to a grin. "It's nothing more intensive   
than what I'm sure you've already been through, Peri. That is, if   
your life is half as hectic as what mine used to be."  
  
"I don't doubt it. It took us ten times to actually get here. One   
trip once we touched down in this time zonein Peoria, Illinois"  
  
"You didn't let him out of the TARDIS did you? On all those false   
stops? It's a wonder you got here before you were old and gray if   
that was the case"  
  
"Couldn't keep him in the TARDIS unless I tied him to the console"  
  
"And even then, he'd find a way out," Tegan agreed with a chuckle.   
  
"Hmmm," the Doctor stated under his breath and brushed passed both   
his current and previous companion and into the sitting room. Tegan   
struggled to keep from breaking out into tight, nervous giggles.   
  
Peri smiled and leaned in close to Tegan. "He hasn't changed at all   
then, in the time I've known him," she stated. "And you are just as   
he said you would be. Thought I already knew you with what he's told   
me."  
  
Tegan watched as the Doctor picked his way through the sitting room   
as if he was reorienting himself with the layout. She had moved the   
settee to the other side of the room and her friend swung around to   
pin its placement. "I've heard a lot about you, but after that   
fiasco with Supremo"  
  
"Hmm, yes," Peri replied. "You expected me to be older. I expected   
me to be older after that."   
  
Both women gave a loose giggle.   
  
"Tegan?" the Doctor interrupted.   
  
"They're in their room, Docgive me a moment until I alert them to   
you. After that, you'll have no peace. Peri, are you coming with   
us?"  
  
"No," Peri answered quietly. "The Doctor told me you wanted to meet   
me and I was curious about you. Actually, I'm going to visit the   
British Museum of Natural History and some of the local botanical   
gardens. I did want to meet you."  
  
"You're welcome to use here as a base if you wish," Tegan responded   
suddenly. "It's smaller than the TARDIS."  
  
"No, thanksmaybe when you return, I'll meet you here, but the TARDIS   
has been my home for so long now"  
  
Tegan nodded before she puffed out a breath. "I understand better   
than I think you hope I would, Peri."  
  
Peri gave her a smile and then turned back to the door. "I'll meet   
your children then, Tegan, if that's okay? The Doctor mentioned we   
were a bit late. How that can happen with a Time Lord is beyond me,   
though. I think he thinks you all need to get on the road quickly.   
SoI'll go. Doc, Teganhave a good time. Let me know when you come   
back."  
  
The Doctor nodded and gave his young companion a smile. "You'll be   
all right?"  
  
"Of course," Peri said, lifting her chin. She opened the door and   
gave Tegan a conspiratorial smile. "Make sure he stays out of   
trouble?"  
  
"Always," Tegan said and escorted the woman out the door and into the   
hallway. When the door was shut firmly, she turned to the Doctor.   
  
"Chinos?" she joked. "I never expected that look out of you and you   
pushed the time barrier with this one."  
  
"Yes, well" he replied, leaning forward, his hands in his   
pockets. "I AM here, Tegan. Does it matter if it is a few hours   
later than expected?"  
  
She lifted an eyebrow and hummed. "No, I suppose not. We aren't   
supposed to be there until tonight." Then her face broke into a   
grin, she could feel it pulling at the corner of her mouth,   
tightening her cheeks. "Hello, Doc."  
  
"I did promise I'd be here," he sighed. Then he straightened and   
gave her a small grin. "We aren't getting better at these greetings   
are we?"  
  
"Not by half. I'm glad to see you, though."  
  
He hummed and leaned forward again. "You looked in shock from   
greeting Peri, Tegan," he responded.   
  
She felt the cold that had flushed her body at thinking he had   
regenerated finally leave her body. "WellI hadn't expected to see   
Peri before I saw you."  
  
"I suppose it was a bit of a shock," he agreed and glanced down at   
his feet. "I was running behind in time. When you have to pack   
clothes, Tegan; it adds on time I'm not used to adding."  
  
"Yes," she stepped back to glance at his clothes. "We'll have to   
talk about the clothes, Doc. Isn't this a little understated, even   
for you?"  
  
"Cricket clothes all the time don't work well in your life," he   
admitted with a grin. "I thought these would work a tad bit better."  
  
She tried to clamp down on the laugh, but it burst from between her   
lips so suddenly that it started her. "I suppose it does, doesn't   
it?" Then she glanced at him, and her laughter slowed. She pressed   
passed him to go to the children's door, but he reached out and   
caught her arm as he had three years ago when he had come back into   
her life. Her response was much different than it had been   
previously. Tegan turned and slipped her arms around his back even   
as his hands came out of his pockets.   
  
His voice rumbled lowly. "I'm glad to see you too, Tegan. How have   
you been?"  
  
"Busy, but we can talk about that later," she stated and pulled back   
from the embrace. The Doctor was a little flushed about his neck and   
cheeks and she took it as embarrassment. "I know better than to ask   
you in mixed company what you've been doing."  
  
"Mixed company?" he asked, clearing his throat.   
  
"Human and otherwise," she laughed. She turned to the door and   
opened it. With a laugh, she watched as the Time Lord was buried   
literally under the children and metaphorically under their   
questions.   
  
**  
  
"Where have you been?"   
  
Tegan stifled a smile as she finished putting the chips on the plates   
next to the hot sandwiches she had made for Amy and the Doctor.   
When she turned, she saw that the Doctor had sat back from the table   
and his hands rested on its surface. He took a deep breath and blew   
it out before he hazarded an answer to the attentive young girl.  
  
"Traveling and working," he answered honestly if not a little bit   
lacking in completeness.  
  
"Like my daddy? Momma says Daddy worked a long distance away and had   
to travel to get to his job. Do you do what Daddy did?" Amy put   
down the chip half-nibbled on her plate and settled a child's stare   
on the Doctor.   
  
Attempting to help her friend out, Tegan shook her head. "No, Amy.   
The Doctor doesn't do what your father did for a job."  
"What kind of a Doctor are you?" Amy asked earnestly.   
  
"I'm a Doctor of a lot of things, Amy," he replied.   
  
Michael had been the first one fed and as such, was the first one   
done. He got down from the table and took his plate over to the   
counter in the kitchen and returned to his mother. "I'm done."  
  
"Yes, you are," Tegan agreed. "Thank you, Michael."  
  
Michael gave her a smile and walked to the Doctor. Before she could   
stop her son, the boy stood at the table leg and stared up at the   
Time Lord. The Doctor felt the stare and broke his gaze with Amy to   
give the boy a double take.   
  
"Are you really going to stay with us for the whole week?" Amy   
pressed, picking up another chip to eat it.   
  
"Ah, yes, Amy; I am," the Doctor agreed. "And we'll be going to the   
beach."  
  
"I remember. How come you don't visit more? You like us, don't you?"  
  
"You know I do," he stated with a smile. "Else why would I come back   
here at all, Amy?"  
  
"Because you like Momma."  
  
"Yes, but I like you too," he sighed. Tegan had picked up her coffee   
mug and had rested her elbows on the surface of the table. As she   
took a sip of the warm drink and lowered the rim to stare at her   
friend. She had helped to rein in her children's questions earlier,   
but had known that their curiosity would erupt out and it was best to   
get it over before their four hour drive that afternoon. Curiosity   
from children in an enclosed space was not the best idea. She smiled   
as she saw him think of his response.   
  
She took the opportunity to observe him. His hair was cut shorter   
than his usual length but longer than the military length he had had   
last time. Although his eyes were tired, they were still warmly   
blue. At the corner of his eyes there were little laugh lines, but   
his lips were still as pouty at the corners and his smile was just as   
warm. He looked older to her for some reason.   
  
The thought that the immutable, ageless Time Lord was growing older   
struck her as extremely strange. The sudden departure of her   
children brought her back to herself.  
  
"You look different," she said, quietly, almost crossly she   
supposed. "And the children?"  
  
"Yes, you were rather out of it and staring at me," he agreed. "I've   
sent them off for their satchels. We should be off very soon. And   
what is different about me?"   
  
She sighed and lifted her eyebrows in an inquisitive manner. "Your   
eyes and I do believe you've gathered some wrinkles about the mouth   
and eyes. If I didn't know you, I'd say you were getting old."  
  
He nodded and rubbed at his thighs. "Is that so?"  
  
"I know," she sighed, with a frown. "You're a very mature Time Lord   
of 800 or so"  
  
"The better part of nine hundred now, Tegan."  
  
Her frown deepened. "And you'll say that it's time you started   
looking like it. But"  
  
"Yes?" he asked quietly.  
  
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've changed since dinner   
started," she finished and rose. Turning she started the water in   
the sink and began to wash the dishes. Five minutes later, he joined   
her with a dish rag.   
  
"I remember the chores here," he offered as he began to dry the   
dishes. The telly in the sitting room turned on and Tegan could hear   
the afternoon cartoons playing. It afforded them some measure of   
false privacy for a conversation. As she plunged her hand into the   
water to retrieve the last of the glasses, he began to quietly speak.  
  
"It's been less than four months for me since I left, Tegan."  
  
"Four months?" she breathlessly commented, and guiltily looked to the   
kitchen doorway. She felt as though the conversation was the type of   
elephant under the living room carpet type of conversation her   
parents used to have of 'grown-up' things when she was a   
child. "With ten side trips, you must have tried to return almost   
immediately."  
  
"It wasn't ten; it was more like six," he replied with a   
frown. "Peri has the predisposition for exaggeration at times."  
  
"Regardless," she rolled her eyes. "No matter how literal you try to   
make this conversation, Doc, it still means you tried to come back   
quickly. I would have thought that you would have stayed away longer  
you knowdowntime between down times and all that."  
  
"Amy's grown an inch and a half in six months," he said, seemingly   
having a disjointed conversation with her. "And Michael is a weed.   
You look rather well. When I left you were looking a tad bit thin."  
  
"Great," she commented with a sarcastic twinge to her voice. "Now,   
you'll tell me I have to lose weight."  
  
"Oh, on the contrary. This is a far healthier look for you."  
  
Tegan handed him the first of the large plates and gave him a   
reproachful glance. "What does this have to do with you coming back   
this quickly and why you look older to me?"  
  
"Ah, well" he sighed as he wiped at the plate. "The second part of   
the question is by far the easier of the two to answer. I look older   
and seemingly became older during dinner simply because I did. I   
adjusted my nanites to allow my body to age in a similar manner to   
the aging that you have gone through in the last ten years. Not   
much, but on the whole I would estimate that my body should and does   
look to be in my late thirties by Terran standard."  
  
She gaped at him, she supposed. "You can do that?"  
  
"Yes," he replied with a small nod and a wistful smile on his   
face. "Nanites keep me at a certain maturity level in real time.   
They constantly repair my body to keep me looking the same way for   
long periods. I can tell them to not fix certain damages or to   
accentuate the aging process at times. I did so during dinner to   
make me comparable to you. You are thirty three, yes?"  
  
"Thirty four, thank you very much. Just. But why would you do that?"  
  
"To make me look believable to you, to Amy and Michael."  
  
Tegan turned back to her scrubbing and gave a nod. "Okay. I'll   
accept that. You're always believeable to me, though. But why come   
back here so quickly."  
  
The sigh he issued made her give him a worrisome glance. "Must I   
answer that?"  
  
"No, but I am curious."  
  
She finished scrubbing the last dish and began to let the water out   
of the sink. As he dried the last plate and quietly set his towel   
down on the counter, he answered her. "Frankly, a few things you   
said at Christmas made me wonder about my reasons and actions for   
visiting. I'm rather selfish at times, I know. And I do think that   
my visiting you is selfish in some manner of speaking. I come here   
to" he quietly allowed his words to hand in the air until she   
prodded him to continue. "I come here to enjoy something that could   
be harmful to you or Amy or Michael if I let it."  
  
"Really."  
  
"Well, Teganyou did say once that they would remember me and they   
have. That they would miss me and not understand when they couldn't   
talk to me on the phone, write me or see me. It has reached that   
point. They are at that age. And you said I couldn't promise   
something to them and not follow through. II did worry that   
something might happen to me. It just seemed best to come back."  
  
Tegan sighed. "You do care for them, don't you?"  
  
"I suppose uncle strikes a bellor a family friend one would call   
uncle," he stated lowly. "Yes. Ah, yes. I do care about them."  
  
Her nod seemed to placate him. She glanced at the wall clock and   
started as she saw the time. "Cripes, we've got to leave."  
  
"That," he answered as he leaned in conspiratorially to whisper to   
her. "Is what I have been saying all day, Tegan. How does one get   
two young children into a car in a resemblance of order?"

**

Tegan glanced back at her daughter and smiled at the way that the   
girl stared out the car window. Her fingers pressed against the   
glass. "It's darker here than in the city. Are we in the middle of   
nowhere, Doctor?" she asked.  
  
Tegan lifted her eyebrows and glanced over at the driver's seat. Her   
friend glanced in the rear view mirror to see Amy. "No. We're about   
an hour from the beach."  
  
"So it's the middle of the night?"  
  
"Almost. Undo your seatbelt for a moment and lean against the seat,"   
he offered. "It's dark because we are out of the city."  
  
"Doc," Tegan warned.   
  
"Just for a minute. She'll be all right," he reassured. "I won't   
let anything happen. Ah, Amy, there you are. Look at the clock.   
What time does it say?"   
  
"It says ten and forty-two."  
  
"Correct. Is it am or pm?"  
  
"It's night so that's pm," the girl answered dutifully.  
  
"Put your seatbelt back on before your mother gets angry at me. Now,   
what is midnight? Time wise?"  
  
"Twelve am."  
  
The Doctor nodded. "Now how long is it until midnight?"  
  
Amy sat back in the seat and began to mutter lowly to herself.   
  
Tegan smiled over at the Doctor in the dark and glanced back at her   
daughter. "Rabbitsis this something you like to do with Jovanka-  
Jones women? Make them think beyond their boundaries?"  
  
"Surely she's learned time and general maths at school," he replied   
with a frown. "What is English public school coming to?"  
  
**  
  
A soft knock at the door brought Tegan awake. It was barely 5 am by   
her internal clock and she was both groggy and nearly asleep when she   
opened the door. As the room led to the Doctor's, she wasn't   
surprised to see him on the other side of the jam. Then she   
remembered that her son had begged to sleep in the same room with the   
Doctor that night. She had allowed it, knowing that the Doctor   
wouldn't sleep and her son was in the most constant vigilant care   
that she could find. Amy, of course, had asked to sleep with her   
mother.   
  
So as she eased the door open, she was expecting the Doctor. She met   
the Doctor with her small boy held in his arms. "Everything all   
right? What's the matter?"  
  
Michael was awake and pouted.   
  
"Nothing really, Tegan," the Doctor answered quietly. "We had a   
slight accident," he explained more clearly.   
  
"Accident?" Tegan knew her voice was growing louder and waved the   
Doctor back into the other room. "What happened?"  
  
Michael reached out for her and she took her son from the Doctor.   
The Time Lord released the child easily and stuffed his hands into   
his pockets as if he didn't know what to do with them. Tegan   
breathlessly began to check her son, head to toe, for injury. She   
was immediately awake. "What happened!?" she demanded.  
  
"Wet the bed, Momma," Michael pouted.   
  
"He's embarrassed about it," the Doctor replied.   
  
Tegan clucked her tongue. "It's okay, Michael."  
  
"I'm a big boy," he nearly cried.   
  
The Doctor sighed and rubbed at Michael's head. "He told me he was a   
big boy and was out of diapers. This seems to have upset him a great   
deal. He wouldn't allow me to comfort him, though and wanted you. I   
thought it best"  
  
"Michaelwe just finished with potty training two weeks ago. It   
happens. We'll just try harder, that's all." She glanced at the bed   
and then the other, still made, bed. She patted her son's back as he   
listed against her. When she looked to the Doctor, he raised his   
head to meet her gaze solemnly. "Do you need the bed, Doc? Are you   
sleeping tonight?"  
  
"No. I did try to put him down in the second bed, but he wanted you."  
  
"Michael, it's okay. The Doctor isn't angry. He understands. He   
wet his bed when he was younger too." Tegan saw the Doctor's eyes   
widen and she gave him a stifled smile.   
  
Michael was teary, but eventually drifted off to sleep in the second   
bed where Tegan had put down a towel. As she jockeyed to the door,   
after stroking her baby's head for a few moments, the Doctor stopped   
her. "I did no such thing, Tegan."  
  
She nearly laughed at the look of indignation on his face. "It helps   
Michael to know that other men do stuff like that, Doc," she   
whispered. "Thank you for trying to calm him."  
  
He shook his head and glanced at the child. "Isn't he a little old   
for finally getting out of diapers?"  
  
Tegan frowned. "When did you become an expert on children? But yes,   
he is a little old. He's been a little reluctant with it. His   
daycare seems to think it's the lack of a man in the house."  
  
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared back at her. "And you   
think that's the truth?"  
  
"I doubt it," Tegan agreed. In the other room, Amy turned over and   
Michael rustled under the sheet. The Doctor frowned and reached down   
to lead her out the door and out onto the mini-balcony outside. She   
could still see in both windows and felt somewhat relaxed. It might   
have been the cool night that only the beach could produce. It   
wasn't like the tropics, but it was like the beach of her   
youth. "Docit's nothing that isn't within the realm of normal.   
Michael is just a late bloomer and a bit shy"  
  
"And" he smiled as he leaned up against the railing outside. "Quite   
the 'Momma's boy', yes?"  
  
"You've been studying human psychology again," she admonished. "But   
yes, I suppose you could say that. There isn't anything wrong with   
it, honestly."  
  
"I didn't say there was. But don't your brothers and your father  
don't they spend time with Michael?"  
  
"Justin lives in France and David is in America. We see them once   
every two years or so. My sister isn't married. And, truthfully, I   
don't want her boyfriends spending time with Michael or Amy." She   
shrugged and rubbed her arms. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to be   
outside in her silk pajamas. "And I haven't had any.gentlemen   
friendsrecently."  
  
"You've had"  
  
"Several dates, yes, Doc," she laughed, hearing him stumble over the   
words. "I have had a few boyfriends in the last four years, but none   
that have stayed in a relationship long with me. It's rather hard   
with two children. Not that they are holding me back"  
  
"No. It's that the men don't quite fit your ideal for your children   
and you, yes?"   
  
Tegan lowered her head and nodded with a small smile on her   
face. "You know me too well."  
  
"Ah, wellwe were together a long time," he agreed. "And in strange   
circumstances. Apparently those kind of times make for strange   
friends, I've heard."  
  
"Strange bedfellows," she sputtered. "The saying is 'strange   
bedfellows'. But that's really not the issue. I want what's best   
for my children and I want what's best for me. And I'm willing to   
wait"  
  
"But you don't want to for your children," he related, biting his lip   
and nodding. "I see the problem."  
  
Tegan frowned and leaned against the railing along side of him. "How   
did this become a discussion of my love life? I thought we were   
discussing Michael's bedwetting. And I'm not quite sure whether or   
not to apologize for Michael"  
  
"Nothing to apologize for, Tegan," he issued, staring off into the   
night. As a breeze blew over the balcony, his hair ruffled and he   
closed his eyes. He looks like he's tasting the night and savoring   
it, she thought suddenly. As he continued to speak, with his eyes   
closed, she continued to stare. "Starting a war, ruining someone's   
life: those are things that need apologizing for, Tegan, not your   
child accidentally wetting his bed. And we are discussing your love   
life because it was part and parcel the reason that someone   
attributed to Michael's bedwetting. And it bothers you that it might   
be the case."  
  
"Is it?" she challenged.  
  
"I don't think so," he said and opened his eyes.   
  
"You look like a lost man in those clothes, Doc. You did bring your   
cricketing outfit, didn't you?"  
  
"Do these clothes bother you?" he pressed.  
  
"No," she said, "but it isn't you."  
  
"The man isn't the clothes, Tegan," he warned, quietly.  
  
She found words tumbling out of her mouth before she had a chance to   
stop them. "And the man isn't a man, in your case," she heard in her   
voice and admitted it sounded glum. He crossed his arms over his   
chest and gave her a reproachful glance.   
  
"What is that supposed to mean, hmm?" he asked, gently.   
  
"Nothing. Are you sure it was okay with you to cancel that third   
room?" She attempted to change the conversation with the question and   
he gave in. As usual, she thought, or as it used to be, she could   
tell when he gave into her by the small sigh, the rise of his   
eyebrows and the small nod. It was almost as if he was conceding a   
point in a debate competition.  
  
"If it wasn't, would I have done it?" he pointed out, leaning toward   
her. He looked up at the top of her head and then at her   
eyes. "Tegan, you look worn. I think you should get back to bed.   
Amy is all right, isn't she?"  
  
"That's it, send me off with a veiled insult," she smiled. "She's   
fine. Let me know if Michael needs me, all right?"  
  
He nodded and she left him, standing on the balcony facing the beach,   
his hands on the railing. He followed her not three minutes behind,   
closing the door between their rooms with a gentle click.  
  
**  
  
She wasn't sure she liked the idea of the bicycle. She stood to the   
side of the bike, her hands on her hips, her sunglasses on her nose   
and a visor on her forehead. Amy was dressed the same way.   
Together, Tegan supposed they look like a fun house mirror   
show. "Are you sure you know how to ride that thing?" she pressed,   
wiping the small line of perspiration from her brow.   
  
"Well, of course I know how to ride a bicycle," the Doctor replied   
testily. He had produced his panama hat from somewhere in some   
pocket and it was placed, tilted over one eyebrow.   
  
"It's different with a child on the back," she called.  
  
"Yes, I do know that," he glanced back at her and she almost laughed   
at the glare. It was so commonplace with him, it was like a smile   
from someone else. "The center of gravity changes with the extra   
weight."  
  
She rolled her eyes and gave her daughter a smile with a waggle of   
eyebrows. "Should we show them how it's done?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Doesn't the Doctor know how to ride a bicycle?" Amy asked, giggling   
as she climbed onto the back of the bicycle and waited for her mother   
to take the front seat.  
  
"Of course I know how to ride a bicycle," the Doctor began loudly and   
quieted as Tegan drew along side the bicycle and adjusted Michael's   
helmet. The Time Lord grimaced. "Your mother is simply making fun   
of me, Amy. It isn't the nicest thing in the world."  
  
"I just know you too well, Doctor," she replied with a smile.   
  
"Hmph," came the quiet, put-out response as he pedaled off and down   
the hill away from their inn. Michael looked back at his mother and   
gave her a wide smile.   
  
With a smile so wide that it actually hurt her face, Tegan began to   
pedal after the Doctor down the hill. She had goaded him into taking   
the lead. The only reason she wanted him in front was so that she   
could see Michael enjoying himself while spending time with Amy. But   
she was surprised to find that she was watching the Doctor as much as   
she was her son.   
  
As they crossed Crompton Road and headed off toward the beach, she   
heard her son giggle and saw the Doctor rise on the pedals to take   
the hill at a constant speed. Tegan kept up a conversation with Amy,   
but found her gaze drawn to the way that the Doctor smiled at   
Michael's constant chatter. She laughed with her daughter, but was   
surprised that her eyes followed the Doctor's hands as he gripped the   
handle bars.   
  
His ruffled hair, the way that there was a slight graying to the ends   
near his temples, the creasing of his skin at the corner of his eyes,   
the length of his arms peaking out from his sleeves; everything. I   
haven't been this attuned to him since, well, she thought, since I   
left him. She frowned and tried to figure out why her attention was   
so drawn to him.  
  
At the beach, to which he and Michael had beat Tegan to by a good ten   
minutes, he and her son had set up camp in the pale sand. Amy gave   
her little time to lock up their bike before she bounded across the   
beach to her brother. The Doctor was seated near the waterline,   
watching Michael as he played in the shallow waves. He rose to take   
the small cooler she had had on the back of the bike.   
  
"Was she heavy to pedal?" he asked, kindly.  
  
"No, you're just not human and break all kinds of speed records," she   
replied. "I see Michael wasted no time."  
  
"I would have had to put him in a harness to make him stay on dry   
ground," the Doctor laughed easily. "Congratulations: you've borne a   
fish, my dear Tegan," he joked. With a flourish, he set the cooler   
down. Tegan barely had time to take off her sneakers before Michael   
came running full throttle up the sand with a crab in his hand. He   
thrust it out and under her gaze. She tried very hard not to   
flinch.   
  
"That's lovely, Michael. A right large one, isn't he?"  
  
"Is it a boy?" Amy demanded, coming up along side her brother.  
  
"That's a question for the Doctor, Amy," Tegan replied, glancing over   
her shoulder at the Time Lord. He was busily setting up the umbrella   
and various towels. Under the weight of the collective stares, the   
Time Lord lifted his gaze to Tegan and then to her children and   
finally to the crustacean in Michael's hand.   
  
"What do you have there?" he asked, coming down the slope of the   
deserted beach to glance at the animal. "What a fine specimen,   
Michael. And what is a question for me, Tegan?"  
  
Amy spoke up. "Is the crab a boy?"  
  
"Ah," the Doctor frowned and squatted in the sand next to the   
children. He held out his hand and reached for his glasses at the   
same time. When Michael handed him the animal and both children had   
gathered around, he gently turned the crab over and examined the   
undercarriage. "It's a girl," he stated carefully.  
  
"Yay!" Amy bounced. Michael frowned. The Doctor made a comment   
weighing neither for nor against and rose to his feet.   
  
"Get a little water in a bucket with some sand, Michael. Put her   
inside. You can keep her for a time in that," he advised.   
  
The two children ran off to the waves, not too far from the   
umbrella. It was close enough that Tegan didn't worry. She flopped   
down on the beach towel and grinned as he joined her. He sat down   
gingerly facing the waves. He looked so glum to Tegan that she   
commented on it. "You really didn't have a clue, did you?"  
  
"Crustacean biology and reproductive systems is not something I'm   
well versed in, Tegan," he replied, not looking to her.  
  
"Embarrassed, are you?" she prodded. "Docit's only a crabits not   
humanoid, you don't have to be embarrassed about looking to its  
genitalia"  
  
"It has nothing to do with that," he argued, twisting to glance at   
her. "I wonder why Amy is so excited about the existence of another   
female."  
  
"It is rather"  
  
"Interesting," he offered, saving her from answering. With a lift of   
an eyebrow, he nodded to the waves. "I feel today will be a crab   
hunt and kite flying day."  
  
**  
  
As the children lay sleeping, tired from their run on the beach,   
Tegan and the Doctor rested at the small table on the balcony of   
their rooms. A small table had been brought out and they took their   
afternoon tea in the early evening sunshine.   
  
Next to the door to the balcony a lone bucket sat. Tegan glanced in   
it as she brought a plate of fruit over to the table. "Amy thinks   
this is like the Ark. She's brought crabs in two by two," she   
joked.   
  
"I didn't have the hearts to tell her that they're neither male nor   
female," the Doctor commented, leaning a little to the side to glance   
in the bucket. "I don't suppose it will matter in her life to know   
the truth."  
  
"She only needs know that she needs to take them back to the beach   
tomorrow," Tegan replied. As he gave her a look over his teacup, she   
shrugged. "I don't believe in keeping animals that we've no right   
to. It's not like we'll eat them, you know."  
  
He lifted an eyebrow and she gave him a nod. "Oh yes, yes," she said   
with mock severity. "It's very like you. Taking on strays, bringing   
home strange animals and keeping them well beyond what is healthy."  
  
His eyebrow crept into his hairline and he frowned at her with equal   
mock severity. "Healthy? For them or me?"  
  
"Both, I dare say," she scoffed.   
  
"Hmph," came the quiet return. She smiled into her teacup.   
  
"It's all in fun, Doc. No harm meant."  
  
"I had gathered that," he muttered but gave her a smile anyway.   
  
"And you're bored," she spurred the conversation. "Aren't you? You   
hadn't intended this to be"  
  
He sighed, agitated and shifted around in the chair so that he faced   
her wholly. "I hadn't intended it to be anything more than it is,   
Tegan. I'm here because I wanted to spend time with your children   
when I was able to give them time and energy and wasn't wrapped up in   
problems. And I wanted to return the favor you showed me by   
accepting me into your house a few months ago. And" he shrugged and   
looked off towards the beach. "You wanted a vacation with your   
children. Badly."  
  
"Doc" she warned with a growl. "You aren't responsible for me or my   
children."  
  
"And you were never responsible for me, but you made yourself   
responsible. I made myself responsible for you and your well   
being. It's rather hard to drop old habits."  
  
She released a sigh. "I do thank you for this, you know."  
  
"I know; you've said it every morning for the last three days," he   
smiled at her.   
  
A sudden thought struck her and she gave him a hard glance. She   
debated on holding back, but decided that she had better be true to   
herself. That thought gave her the strength to ask: "Its almost   
like you're playing at something."  
  
"Really."  
  
She nodded and picked up her tea. She gazed in the deep amber   
liquid. Her maturity exerted itself and she used tact. "Nothing   
more than usual, I suppose. Life is a game to you," she offered with   
a smile, but the thoughts she had were definitely something different   
than what came out of her mouth. But she did simply want to enjoy   
the company of her friend.

**

"It's not for children," she warned. The Doctor stood on the corner,   
facing the fun park. Michael was perched on his shoulders, his small   
hands around the Time Lord's brow. She could see the thoughts flying   
rampid through his mind. He glanced up at Michael and gave a wolfish   
young smile, jostling the shoulders so that the child wiggled.  
  
"Are you quite sure?" he asked.   
  
"It sounds like you're not," Tegan offered. Amy began to swing her   
hand back and forth, making her mother's arm wave with hers.   
  
"Well" the Doctor walked up to the chain link fence surrounding the   
fun park and allowed Michael to grab its links. "It is a fun park,   
Tegan. I gather the purpose is to have fun. You and Turlough   
certainly did when we were here last."  
  
"Momma?" Amy asked, squinting up at her mother. "You were here when   
you were young?"  
  
"Once, a long time ago," Tegan answered with a smile.   
  
"Doctor was a friend of yours when you were little?" Amy asked, her   
voice growing in volume.  
  
"When I was youngerbefore I met your father, Amy," Tegan   
corrected. "Not when I was your age."  
  
She looked back at the Doctor to see a wide smile on his face. "And   
don't you start, Doc. I was younger, not young."  
  
"Young is a relative term, Tegan. To some you were little more than   
a baby when we knew each other well," he joked. She frowned. The   
Doctor was not one to comment so freely on her age or their age   
difference in mixed company. He was being more personable than   
usual. Four days into their vacation and she felt almost the same as   
she had when she traveled with him. Granted there was little chance   
of a Dalek flying out of an alley and she was older and happier, but   
she did feel the same as she had when she had lived on the TARDIS.  
  
"A baby?" she asked, a frown on her face. Had she really been that   
young to him?  
  
"Well, no," the Doctor continued as Michael rattled the fence. "You   
were quite well adjusted for your age then," he stated. "But   
overall, compared to some of those we knew and knew well, you were   
quite young."  
  
"Hmmm," she commented. She glanced down at Amy and saw that her   
daughter was very confused. "Never mind the Doctor, Amy; he's trying   
to get us both confused. He does that."  
  
"He tells great whopping stories, Momma," Amy argued. "Much better   
than Uncle or Granddad."  
  
"Rabbits!" Tegan released and the Doctor winced. He glanced over his   
shoulder as he righted Michael to continue down the road. "What   
stories are you telling them?" she demanded. She had sudden   
nightmares of him telling her children about Cybermen and Daleks and   
the Gravis. Walking quickly and leading Amy to the Doctor's side,   
she slowed his walking with a vice-like grip to his arm. "Doctor-"  
  
"You only call me that when you're angry at me," he replied. "What   
is it?"  
  
"What are you telling my children?" she angrily rumbled.  
  
"A few stories about a mythical place called Gallifrey and a knight"  
  
"And a big train!" Michael bounced on the Doctor's shoulder.   
  
"And dances and costumes and princesses and a magical box that takes   
the knight everywhere"  
  
"And cr- cr-cricket," Michael's tongue tangled the words.   
  
Tegan had been looking back and forth between her children. On those   
final words from her son, she looked to the Doctor and raised her   
eyebrows and mouthed 'knight'. He gave her a smile that she was sure   
was aimed at winning her over. "Princesses? You told them about   
Nyssa?"  
  
"Amongst others, yes," he answered and glanced up at Michael. "And   
Michael here enjoys the stories about the trains."  
  
Tegan frowned. "And nothing else?"  
  
"Nothing that would upset them or make it so they could not sleep,   
Tegan. I am somewhat responsible about telling children tales."  
  
She gave a relieved sigh and tightened her grip on Amy's hand. The   
Doctor stopped at the corner and glanced down the street. She could   
see that he was disappointed that she wasn't going to allow him to   
take the children in the fun park. She had wanted to go herself, but   
the children were too young for most of the rides.   
  
As they crossed the road and the Doctor found a small snack shack and   
brought his brood to sit at the benches outside. Amy grabbed   
Michael's chubby hand and led him to the swings nearby. Tegan and   
the Doctor waited for their order to come with the waitress.   
  
"Tell them storiesfantasies? That's very unlike you."  
  
"I embellish truths," he smiled. "Just a little."  
  
"Knights? I mean I can see the magical boxthe TARDIS. And the   
cricket, but knights?"  
  
He looked chagrined for a moment and then gave her another, testing   
smile. "Well, Tegan. Really. If you were telling a story with   
yourself in it, wouldn't you elaborate? After all, I was rather kind   
to you in the stories and didn't allude to our rather rough   
beginnings"  
  
Tegan rolled her eyes. "You're the knight? Figures."   
  
When the Doctor didn't answer, she leaned back into the table and   
closed her eyes for a moment. The sun felt like it was wrapping her   
in a warm fur embrace and the ocean breeze was sweet on her face. In   
the self-imposed darkness, she heard her children giggling and then   
the Doctor's quiet answer. "Well, yes."  
  
Her eyelids sprung open and she stared at him. "That's a strange   
take on it all, Doc."  
  
"Hmmm," he commented. "But kinder than some of the other renditions,   
yes?"  
  
"Quite," she agreed. "I wish it had been like that."  
  
"Would it have been the same, though?" he asked. "No," he answered,   
with a frown. Then quickly, he turned completely to her and lifted   
an eyebrow. "The inn where we are staying has a babysitting and   
child-sitting service. Shall I engage them for the night?"  
  
"What on Earth for?" she gasped out before she began to laugh.  
  
"In order that we might go to the fun park this evening," he stated   
over her laugh. "You want to go. I know you well enough to know the   
look on your face a few moments ago."  
  
"Doc-"  
  
"Yes, you want to go or no, you don't," he pressed. His sigh let her   
know he was at the edge of some patience.  
  
"Yes, I do, but-"  
  
"Then it's settled."  
  
"What's settled?" she asked harshly.   
  
"We're going. It'll be a fun time; you'll enjoy it."  
  
Tegan sighed, but as the Doctor gave a harsh nod and turned away.   
She smiled widely. But she still couldn't understand what he was   
about. Not that it understanding him was something she was able to   
do.  
  
**  
"I'm not quite sure about this," Tegan confided as she pulled out her   
jacket.  
  
"They'll be fine. I thoroughly researched this service, Tegan. Now,   
trust me and relax," he replied, kindly.   
  
"I don't like to leave them."  
  
"I know you don't, Tegan, but you deserve some time to yourself as   
well," he related with a sigh. "And as you so aptly stated today:   
the fun park isn't a good place for young children. You, however,   
still want to go."  
  
"But-" Tegan stopped walking and looked back to the sitting room of   
the inn where they were staying. She could see the keeper and their   
daughter with her children through the window. A small lump in her   
throat formed and she had a phase of panicked breathing before she   
felt the Doctor's hand on her arm.   
  
"Tegan. Tegan," he stated. She reacted to the soothing tone in his   
voice and looked at him. He reached up to pull her sweater about her   
shoulders like a caretaker and gave her a steady glance. She saw him   
searching her eyes and returned the stare with a little too much   
internal honesty, she thought. But she wanted him to understand how   
much she didn't want to leave her children. "Who watches them when   
you go on yourdates?"  
  
"Mom or Delores," she answered steadily. "I've known Delores for   
years."  
  
"I know," he replied. She felt the weight of his hands on her   
shoulders and then came the familiar bending at his waist to look her   
in the eye directly. "Trust me. I researched these people before I   
chose the inn. I knew you might want to go out. The innkeeper and   
her daughter are more than trustworthy. And we can call them during   
the nightat intervals. Amy is enjoying the change and Michael will   
warm quickly. They are fine."  
  
She lifted an eyebrow and stared at him.  
  
"Trust. Me."  
  
With a sigh, she lowered her eyes and gave a slow nod. "I want to   
call every hour on the hour, Doc."  
  
"Then we shall," he agreed. "Now." He turned and surveyed the road.   
She, even agitated about leaving her children, smiled at the way he   
bit his lip and squinted. "I believe," he began, "that we have to   
go"  
  
"Down Main, cross Barnhardt and into Crossway. The Carnival is on   
the left there on the beach," she laughed. "And it's in completely   
the other way than what you're facing."  
  
He frowned and gave her a glare. She accepted it as her due and   
turned to walk in the right direction, hiding her smile at his   
discomfort. Soon, however, she found herself almost jogging down the   
road, her hand encased in his. "Well, come along, come along," he   
informed her with a wide grin. "There's so much to do and so little   
time to do it in."  
  
**  
  
She was surprised that the Doctor was game to do whatever it was she   
wanted. She made note of his attention to the boat ride in the front   
for later and drug him off towards the roller coasters. As they   
approached the first, massive wooden coaster, she stopped to let him   
fold and hide away his hat. "I do believe wearing this on there   
isn't the best idea."  
  
"You've been on roller coasters?" she laughed. Somehow imagining   
either the Doctor she knew or the other one before him on a roller   
coaster was incredibly funny.   
  
"Well, of course I've been on roller coasters, Tegan," he called out   
with a flourish. "I've ridden the best in the galaxy."  
  
"Hmmm," she muttered, unimpressed. "But not in this incarnation,   
have you?"  
  
With no time given to reply, she grabbed his forearm and pulled him   
toward the line. After making a few remarks about herding humans   
like cattle through the lines and about fifteen minutes, they were at   
the head of the line. She slipped on her sweater and waited for him   
to climb inside. It was the usual for an amusement park cue, but   
what was unusual is the gallant way he turned to extend his hand to   
help her to the seat. Before she could stop it, a giggle erupted   
from her. "Being gallant won't help you, you know, not after the   
first hill and turn."  
  
"Accept the escort, please? Hmm?" he asked, sliding into the seat   
next to her.   
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she responded to his question   
with one of her own.   
  
"Of course," he rumbled. After a quick jostle to secure the seatbelt   
around the both of them and another moment of self-conscious   
adjustment of his arm in the small cab to lay across her shoulders,   
he glanced down at her. "Tight fit, isn't it?"  
  
"Amusement parks are known for their close quarters, Doc. That's in   
part why I asked you if you wanted to do this." She wiggled to get   
her shoulders comfortable under the weight of his arm. The lap bar   
came down and crowded her legs. "I know you don't like-"  
  
"I'm fine, Tegan," he complained. "Stop fussing. Relax. Enjoy. I   
do believe this is the first fun park you've been to in a very long   
time."  
  
The attendant checked the lap bar and pulled on their seatbelt and   
then, with a sharp jerk, the train pulled away from the station. She   
laughed and leaned back into the bench seat as they climbed the   
hill. The clack of the chain, the stop and jerk climb, the way that   
the stars twinkled over head, the feel of sea-ladened air against her   
face made her feel very young. She had always loved the exhilaration   
of fun park rides. It was akin to flying. Or akin to traveling in   
the TARDIS. All she wanted was to feel the weightlessness, the force  
everything.   
  
Beside her, the Doctor was muttering about trajectory and gravity   
force. With a smile, he nodded to the hill. "We'll be traveling at   
approximately fifty miles an hour when we reach bottom and at that   
first turn we should feel 2G's."  
  
"No science," she replied, turning to look at him. Their close   
physical proximity made the exchange quiet. "Just feel."  
  
"No science," he returned, quietly, just barely over the sound of the   
clacking wheels below them. "Do you scream?"  
  
"I laugh," she said, her voice rising as they crested the hill. She   
felt his hand grab her shoulder and then she threw back her head and   
giggled. She was weightless, then heavy, then turned, and tossled.   
She was thrown against the Doctor and her laughter grew in volume.   
She could feel his chuckles through his chest, against her shoulder.   
And when they were suddenly thrown forward as they slowed, she   
glanced at him. His smile was wide, and he gave her a nod.   
  
"You certainly do laugh, Tegan," he replied, squeezing her   
shoulder. "I do believe I've never seen you that happy before."  
  
"I love roller coasters," she whispered, brushing back her hair. As   
the train stopped and they climbed out, she gave him a playful punch   
to the shoulder. "And I think I'll get you a gelato and get you   
another coaster."  
  
Her answer was a raised eyebrow and a smile.  
  
**  
  
Later, he slowed their progress across the park by pulling her   
towards a spinning ride. She hung back, holding her small cola and   
shaking her head. "Oh no. No, Doctor. I'm not good on those   
rides. It's like being on a bloody top."  
  
"Get vertigo, do you?" he playfully jibbed. "Come on."  
  
"Doctor," she sighed with a firm shake of her head.  
  
"I'll help you," he assured her as he grabbed her forearm and pulled   
her toward the loud music and the benched single cars. "It's all   
where you look. You just have to center your gaze on one place in   
particular and you should be fine."  
  
She kept her mouth shut, uncharacteristically, until they climbed   
into the single car. She had to sit in front of him and she gave him   
a stern look. "If I get sick, Doc, you'll be sorry."  
  
"If you get sick, I will be sorry. It'll be a terrible end to a nice   
evening, but I guarantee you'll be just fine."  
  
"You're doing this because I told you that I don't like this kind of   
ride, aren't you? Admit it," she countered and turned to sit. He   
extended the seatbelt around her and she closed it.   
  
"It can't be any worse than the Bucephalus," he muttered. "And you   
survived that."  
  
"Barely," she shot back. The attendant checked their restraint and   
then lowered the top of the spaceship type car. They were encased.   
He extended his arms on either side of her and held onto the grips,   
encouraging her to do the same.   
  
"Nonsense," he replied. "Now. I want you to find a large object to   
center your gaze on. When it is out of your vision range, find   
another and do the same, and again, and again. You'll be fine.   
Trust me."  
  
The car started to move and she was forced back into his chest. His   
height made his chin rest near her forehead. "Hold on, brave   
heart."   
  
"I hate these rides," she reiterated as she closed her eyes.  
  
Instead of him answering her, the Doctor covered her hands with his.   
The weight made her open her eyes. The speed increased and she was   
forced back hard against his body. "I'm going to be sick."  
  
"Don't tell yourself that," he called over the sound of the rock   
music and the rushing wind. "Center your gaze. If you close your   
eyes, you will get nauseous." As he spoke, she felt his chin move   
against her brow. "Just center your gaze, Tegan. Close everything   
out except for those few objects on which you concentrate. When you   
do that, everything will be fun."  
  
She did as he said. Things flew by her gaze and it was hard to find   
something to stare at, but she did it. And when she was able to   
master it, the feelings of vertigo disappeared and she began to   
giggle. By the time they achieved the maximum speed, she was   
laughing freely.   
  
"Exactly," he shouted over the sound. "See."  
  
By the time that the ride slowed and settled, she found she was   
actually disappointed. His grip on her hands lessened as they   
stopped. When she glanced over her shoulder at him, he gave her a   
wide boyish grin. That grin, she suddenly thought, in his slightly   
older face seems moreyoung, if that's possible. "Well?"  
  
"I liked it, as you well know," she replied with a smile.   
  
The attendant clicked open their car and she rose. He climbed over   
the side and helped her up and out of the ride. "Not nauseous?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Glad to hear it," he surmised and squinted into the bright, blinking   
lights of the fairway.   
  
She found that her gaze was drawn to the Time Lord's eyes. The blue   
caught and reflected the flickering colored lights and made them look   
like mirrors which caught miniature rainbows. When he finished   
glancing about, he looked down at her and slid his hands into his   
pockets. "What are we doing next?" he asked, gently.  
  
"We should head back to the inn soon," she stated.   
  
"Probably," he agreed. "We've done most of the fun park. Have you   
had a good time?"  
  
"It's much different than the last time we were here," she replied   
with a smile and drew her sweater tighter about her body. "Thank   
God; it couldn't have been any worse."  
  
"Yes, well" he sighed, lowering his head.   
  
She grabbed his arm with a frown. "I HAVE had a very fun time, Doc.   
Don't take my complaints wrong, all right?"  
  
His nod was fast and his grin was thankful. "But you still haven't   
said what you would like to do before we leave."  
  
Tegan glanced about to get her bearings and saw the boat ride near   
the end of the fairway. "You expressed interest in that ride, Doc,"   
she nodded towards the sign. In large lettering, red on black, the   
words: Haunted Mill were written. "Would you like to ride it?"  
  
"I gather its rather a slow, peaceful ride," he stated. "It would be   
a nice way to end the evening, yes?"  
  
"It's a haunted ride, Doc," she informed him. "It's meant to scare."  
  
"After all we've been through?" he asked, his voice rising in   
surprise. "A simple boat ride wouldn't scare you, would it?"  
  
"No," she laughed. "It takes a bit more than that. But it's a   
solitary ride, Docit'll just be the two of us."  
  
"As it has been in the past, Tegan," he gave her a smile.   
  
She realized that he didn't quite understand what she was saying.   
With a sigh, she understood that he wouldn't know what she was   
talking about until he experienced it. "Well, then, let's get going."  
  
The Doctor led the way, his hands in his pockets and his elbow held   
out as encouragement for her to slip her hand through the nook. She   
kept her comments to herself and joined him in line, standing ahead   
of him. They wove through the line, following others until they   
reached the boarding section. As she had suspected, there was a   
simple boat enclosed on three sides with only the front open.   
Current, not chains, drove it. As she stepped into the boat, it   
rocked, but swayed even more as his superior weight entered behind   
her.   
  
Soon, however, the boat began its journey through the ride and they   
sat.   
  
"There are no screams in here," the Doctor commented lowly. "It   
doesn't seem to be a very intense scare, does it?"  
  
"It's not particularly meant to scare," Tegan voiced, with a sigh.   
She closed her eyes and allowed the gentle lulling of the waves   
against the body of the boat soothe her. It was obvious that the   
ride was simply carved out into the beach and the tidal waters of the   
ocean. It was channeled through this series of canals, she supposed.  
  
"Then what is it's purpose?" he muttered. From his tone, she could   
tell he was a little agitated that the ride was not what he supposed   
it to be.   
  
"For the riders to be alone," she replied. "For privacy."  
  
"Privacy"   
  
She could hear when the understanding overtook him. There was an   
uncomfortable shifting of his body and something that might have been   
misconstrued as impatience. And then quietly a whispered: "oh".  
  
Her smile was meant to reassure, but she supposed he probably saw it   
as: I told you so. "It's no matter," she said.   
  
He cleared his throat and settled. "Yes, well, at least it'll be a   
little quieter."  
  
"You could say that. And you're right: it is rather peaceful."  
  
He was quiet as the boat slowly moved through the dark. A little   
light flickered from the signs outside and over the ride. After a   
time, he sighed. "You have had fun tonight, Tegan?"  
  
"Yes. Undoubtedly. But I do want to get back to Amy and Michael."  
  
"I don't doubt that you do," he replied. She felt him shift and knew   
he was turning to face her more. "You know, Tegan, there is   
something that I've learned from watching human, studying them all   
this time."  
  
"Watch it, Doc, I am a human, you know," she joked. Then she   
encouraged: "What is it, then?"  
  
"They need human contact. Often of people close to their own age.   
You need some."  
  
"Do I?" she asked, slightly put-out. With a frown, she turned   
slightly to look at him. "I already have that, you know. I have   
friends at work and social friends."  
  
"I mean near constant contact, Tegan."  
  
"A boyfriend, you mean or a roommate."  
  
"Well" his voice was lower.   
  
"You think I need a lover?"  
  
"Tegan," he rumbled and she knew she had shocked him. "What I mean   
is that you could use the stress relief that one gets from constant   
contact. It doesn't have to be in amanner."  
  
"You're thinking of our conversation about the children the other   
night, aren't you?" she pressed. "Doc"  
  
"I'm not saying that any problems that you have with Michael's   
development are your fault. They aren't. I think it's more based on   
Amy's incredible ability to talk a blue streak."  
  
Tegan laughed. "She does that."  
  
"No, the reason I'm talking about it is for you, Tegan. You need   
companionship."  
  
"Like you," she replied. Before he could deny or agree, for she   
didn't know which he was going to do, she continued. "You are always   
looking for friendship, companionship. Constant contact."  
  
"Humans need it more," he stated. "And yes, in your case, I suppose   
that means a boyfriend, a close friend, a lover. It will reduce your   
stress, make you healthier, help you to live longer."  
  
"So I should just run out and find one, you're saying," she stated   
practically. "I will find someone, Doc. When I'm ready."  
  
"You're mourning Tom?" it was more of a statement than a question.  
  
"I love loved him, Doc," she said quietly. "For several years he was   
everything. He was the father of my children, my husband and my best   
friend." She sighed and shifted. "I can live without him and do   
just fine, but it was never about need. It was about want. I wanted   
to spend my life with him. I've learned it's much harder to miss   
something you want than something you need. Sentimental value. You   
always said humans were a sentimental bunch. Before I can just up   
and spend all my time and open my family to another, I have to want   
the man. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes," he drew out. "And being sentimental is a strength I always   
thought. But, yes, I do understand."  
  
She gave a nod. "Well, I do have friends, you know. I shall be   
quite all right. And so will the children. Believe me. I'd rather   
die than see them harmed."  
  
"You make an excellent mother," he commented, apparently off-handed   
but she took the compliment as she hoped he meant it. "If not a tad   
bit overprotective, but I think you'll get over that in time."  
  
"Yes, hopefully before Amy starts dating."  
  
There was a moment of horrified silence and then he chuckled. "Yes,   
wellthere's some time before that."  
  
"And I do have you for a friend and you've seen me through a great   
deal in my life," she replied, closing her eyes again and   
relaxing. "Even as infrequent as our contact ismaybe it's the   
quality and not the quantity that matters to contact."  
  
"Hmmm," he sighed. "Possibly."  
  
They saw the light up ahead of them and knew the ride was coming to   
an end. Tegan began to gather the few small articles they had and   
the Doctor shifted, stretching his arms over his head. She turned to   
grab the small stuffed animal he had won at a guess your weight booth   
and suddenly found herself unsteady. The boat rocked, apparently   
from design and not a problem, and she was thrown up against the   
Doctor. She landed against his chest with a quiet umph. He returned   
the sediment with a low groan of pain.   
  
"Sorry," she muttered and the boat rocked the other way. She had   
been trying to lever off of him and with the rocking, found herself   
face to face with him in the dark. Their legs and arms were entangled.  
  
"Now I see what you meant about privacy," he stated with a low   
drawl. She knew he was trying to make a joke. "This would be   
highly embarrassing in the light."  
  
"This wasn't meant to be embarrassing," she chuckled. "It's meant to   
be"  
  
"Romantic, making close contact, allowing the male to encircle the   
female with his arms without making it look too obvious," he replied   
with a laugh. "I believe that was the basis to it, yes?"  
  
"You've got it right in one, Doc. And it's a place where youngsters   
can get away with necking."  
  
"Yes, well" he stated, gently disentangling his arms from her. His   
left arm remained about her shoulders as the boat gently pulled up to   
the disembarking station. As the boat slowed, he led her to stand   
and escorted her out of the body and onto dry land. She dusted her   
jeans down as he adjusted his shirt. "No harm done, I suppose. But   
a ride like this would be abhorred on Gallifrey, you know."  
  
"Anything that makes for close contact would be abhorred on   
Gallifrey," she shot back. Together they walked from the   
ride. "Remember, I was thereonce."  
  
"Twice if you count the Matrix."  
  
Suddenly, she felt the overwhelming need to ask him a personal   
question. "Why did you leave Gallifrey? And why haven't you gone   
back?"  
  
Instead of completely ignoring the question as he usually did, he   
gave her a glance and a sigh. "That's a question for another time,   
Tegan. One when we have a great deal of time. Please?"  
  
She lifted an eyebrow. "All right, yes. You never cease to surprise   
me," she continued with a smile.   
  
"May that always be the situation," he said with a large grin. "Come   
onlet's get back to the inn."  
  
**  
  
She quietly entered the room and closed the door. In the dim lit   
only by a small fairy light in adjoining bathroom, she checked her   
children. Michael slept in the daybed by the window and Amy in the   
double bed. She tenderly tucked them in, smiling at their complacent   
acceptance of sleep. With a sigh, she bent to gather Amy to carry   
her to the other room. The Doctor joined her at the bed and laid a   
hand on her arm.   
  
"I don't want to move hershe'll wake," Tegan commented.   
  
"Then leave her. Leave the adjoining door completely open. You can   
hear them when they wake, if they wake," he philosophized.   
  
Tegan frowned and completely settled her daughter and walked in front   
of her friend to the other room. When she was away from the door,   
she glanced at the two beds in the room. "Will you be sleeping?"  
  
"Ah, no," he sheepishly replied. "No, I'm not tired. But you sleep."  
  
"And you'll just stay here?" Tegan asked. "I don't know if I can   
sleep with"  
  
"Someone watching over you?" he joked. "Never mind me, Tegan. I'll   
read. But rest assured, if anything happens to the children in the   
other room, I will hear them."  
  
She silently agreed and quietly set about getting ready for sleep.   
Within a half an hour, she was asleep.

**

As she started up the car, the Doctor slid into the passenger seat.   
Amy and Michael had begged for a story to begin the ride home and he   
hemmed and hawed to make a decision on which one to tell. She was   
busy trying to figure out the best course of action at rush hour.   
They were on their way home. They were all rather sunburnt, happy   
and sandy.   
  
But she had to admit that she hadn't had this much fun nor this much   
relaxation since she couldn't remember. It was lovely. And she   
wasn't quite sure she wanted the vacation to come to an end.  
  
Next to her, the Doctor shifted in his seat and gave Amy a   
glance. "Once, a long time ago, there was a knight. And he traveled   
with a lady."  
  
"His lady?" Amy barked out.  
  
"Well, no," the Doctor continued, nodding quickly. "But a lady   
nonetheless. They were friends. And they traveled to a far off land   
where there were castles and crystals and bright dreams and when the   
wind blew the stones sang."  
  
Tegan smiled gently and adjusted the rear view mirror. She could see   
Amy grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Of course, that made sense, she   
thought. She, herself, had often been Alice, falling down rabbit   
holes when she traveled with the Doctor. "Tranax Seven," she   
whispered.  
  
Out of the corner of vision range, she saw the Doctor nod slightly.   
They had been there twice. The first time had been when Nyssa and   
she had been just reunited. The Doctor and Nyssa had traveled for   
almost six months without her and had been very close. But that had   
been the first time that she had felt like she was a member of the   
crew again. Of course, they had run for their lives and had been   
shot atas per usualbut it had been fun otherwise.   
  
The second time they had visited, it had been as a side trip when   
they had tried to get back to Frontios to pick up Turlough. She had   
never told Turlough, not that she had had much choice what with   
everything that happened those last two days she had been with the   
Doctor, but she and the Doctor had had several false attempts to get   
back to that barren planet. It had been close to two months before   
they had gotten the correct spatial and temporal coordinates. Well   
two months on the regular calendar. And one of their side trips had   
been to Tranax Seven.   
  
There had been no shooting or running or dodging. It had been   
peaceful. They had visited old friends. And she had heard the   
singing stones. She had enjoyed it thoroughly. Ironically, it had   
been the last stop before Frontios and she had made a decision to   
stay with the Doctor a little while longer then. She remembered the   
exact moment. They had been standing on a hill, him slightly in   
front of her, his hair ruffling in the wind. The sky had been a   
beautiful purple with stars everywhere. Their friends had joined   
them at the apex just as the evening light and the northern winds had   
crossed the stones. The air had vibrated, sang and plucked at the   
strings of her heart. When she had said how beautiful it all was, the   
Doctor had turned to her.   
  
The smile he gave her had made her stomach flop. But then again, she   
had been a rather silly girl. At the time she had cared immensely   
for him, possibly even loved him. In love with love, her mother had   
said when she was a child. A small part of her then had held the   
wish that maybe he'd turn to her, hold out his hand and draw her to   
him. She had wanted affection, friendship and romance in one package   
and he had been that package.   
  
But by then she had realized that the Doctor did care. But his   
affections were on a level she didn't think she understood: purely   
psychological. She still didn't understand it. She had known she   
was his friend, though and it was enough. It had been enough then   
and it was enough now. But as they had stood at the apex of the hill   
and listened to one of the most beautiful sounds of the universe, she   
had decided to stay with him. For a while. Until he said enough was   
enough. There was just too much to see, too much to do and she   
wanted to do it all.  
  
Ironically, three days later she was walking through a deserted   
street in London shivering, alone.   
  
"The knight's magical box finally did what he asked it to do," the   
Doctor was saying. "It landed in this magical land and the knight   
escorted the lady into the world of stones. The stones were as tall   
as a man and blue like the sky. And beyond this land of stones,   
there were large crystals like gigantic diamonds. The two friends   
explored the stones and met magical creatures. And when the time was   
right and the wind was high, the knight took the lady to a hill.   
From the hill they could see the world. It stretched out blue and   
green, azure and amethyst, as far as the eye could see. As the sun   
set, the wind blew and suddenly the air sang. The stones sang to   
them."  
  
"The stones sang?" Amy asked. Michael made a sound as if to say   
continue.   
  
"Like a thousand harps," the Doctor agreed, nodding.   
  
"Were they fighting ogres again?" Amy nearly shouted the question.  
  
"With guns?" Michael chimed in.  
  
"No. It was the most beautiful, most magical land the knight knew.   
He wanted his friend, the lady, to see it. To know it."  
  
Tegan glanced sideways at the Doctor and saw that although his head   
was down and he seemed to be talking to his hands, his gaze was on   
her. He continued. "The box had always shown them pain and wars and   
evil. He wanted to see beauty. This was the reason he had left home   
to travel the far lands."  
  
"But you said he had left to right wrongs," Amy argued.  
  
"Yes. But sometimes," he began and turned. As he turned, he kept   
his gaze on Tegan until he settled and then he looked to   
Amy. "Sometimes, Amy, the best way to fight evil and ugliness is to   
view and enjoy beauty in the face of that evil. Defiance. It was a   
gift he gave. The lady needed that beauty. She needed to know that   
there was so much more than what she had seen, what she had   
experienced in their travels."  
  
"Did she enjoy it?" Amy pressed. "Did the lady tell the knight that   
she liked it?"  
  
"No. But when the knight turned to look up at the fortress and saw   
the lady standing above him, he could see the happiness in her eyes.   
She didn't need to tell him. He knew."  
  
Tegan glanced at the road and then gave the Doctor a steady   
stare. "What lady wouldn't enjoy that?" she asked, her voice light.   
  
The Doctor lifted an eyebrow and turned forward again. His voice   
took on a very informative tone. "Yes, wellI admit this is not a   
very busy story, but it was the only one I could think of right now."  
  
With a smile, Tegan glanced over at her friend. "I could throw out a   
couple of ideas," she argued.   
  
"Must you?" he sighed, but his face was alit with a small smile.   
  
"Yes, Momma, please" Michael begged, with Amy chiming in.  
  
The rest of the ride was filled with the two friends competing with   
story ideas based on their adventures.   
  
**   
"Take her up," Tegan laughed. "She'll need the WC immediately."  
  
Amy nodded emphatically and nearly bounced on the balls of her feet.   
The Doctor grabbed the largest bag and gave a reassuring smile as he   
crossed the street, holding the girl's hand. He glanced back at   
Tegan as she began to let Michael out of the seat. Then he hurried   
the young girl up the front steps and into the main hallway of the   
apartment building. Peri was waiting outside landing as had been   
anticipated. He greeted his friend with a smile.   
  
"Who's that?" Amy demanded, glancing up at the young woman with a   
disapproving frown.  
  
"A friend of mine, Peri. Peri, please meet Miss Amy Jones of Tegan   
Jones fame," the Doctor introduced the young girl.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine," Peri extended her hand to the girl and   
possibly because she was receiving such mature treatment, Amy's ire   
bled away. She giggled.  
  
Before the Doctor could continue his conversation, there was a loud   
screeching of tires outside and a very loud crash. The hair on the   
back of his neck stood up and he pressed a key into Peri's   
hand. "Take her inside," he demanded, nearly pushing Amy toward   
Peri. "And keep her inside, please. Amy, listen to Peri."  
  
Turning, the Doctor sped to the window at the end of the hall and   
glanced down at the street. The color fled from his face. With a   
groan and a whispered negative statement, he turned and sprinted down   
the hallway. Amy watched him go with wary eyes.  
  
She glanced up at Peri as the air was filled with the sound of the   
Doctor's pounding footsteps on the stair and the crash of the main   
door thrown open against the wall. It was all Peri could do to keep   
the child from running after the Time Lord and to keep her away from   
the window when the Doctor's pain filled shout sounded in the street   
below. It consisted of two simple words, but Peri immediately knew   
what had happened. "Tegan! Michael!"  
  
"Momma?" Amy asked, demanded, staring accusingly up at Peri.  
  
"I'm sure she's all right," Peri tried to reassure and turned to open   
the door. "We'd better do what the Doctor says. You like the   
Doctor, don't you?"  
  
"Yes. He likes me and he's fun," Amy explained.  
  
"Then you know he'd never do anything to hurt you or your brother or   
your mother. We'd better do as he says. You can show me your toys."  
  
Amy nodded once, but she looked troubled.  
  
**  
  
Tegan was in a blaze of pain. It heated up her right side and   
engulphed her head. There was a constant ringing in her right ear   
and for some reason, she couldn't move her right leg. She could hear   
her son weakly crying and as she found herself grounded, feeling the   
pavement at her back, she knew what had happened. She turned over,   
moaning, and tried to crawl towards her son. The force of the impact   
against the car had thrown her away from him. The other car was a   
twisted pile of wreckage around a light pole and against her car.  
  
"No," she moaned, realizing that she couldn't move.   
  
Suddenly, there was a familiar presence with her. She glanced up and   
saw the Doctor falling to his hands and knees next to her. "No,   
Tegan. Don't move," he ordered, pleaded.  
  
"Michael," she ground out.  
  
"Don't move," he ordered again and pushed to his feet. He   
disappeared from her vision and she didn't know how much time passed   
before he was with her again. Her son was not with him.  
  
"A doctor is over with him, Tegan. No!" he cried out. "Don't move.   
You've been badly hurt. I have a medic team coming this way. For   
Rassilon's sake, don't move."  
  
"I want my baby," she moaned. "What's wrong with him?" she gasped.   
Her vision was growing hazy.   
  
"He's less hurt than you," he stated honestly. She felt his hands,   
cool against the burning pain at her temple. "Rassilon," he   
breathed. Then she felt his hands on her leg, or thought that she   
did. Her yelp and scream of pain made him wince. He frowned and   
glanced up at someone that was approaching. "Over here!"  
  
She felt consciousness slipping away. "Take care of them."  
  
The Doctor's gaze flew back to hers. "Tegan"  
  
"Please," she croaked, as the blackness crept into her   
vision. "Trust. You."  
  
"Oh Tegan," he mumbled, and it was the last thing she heard before   
the ringing and silence overwhelmed her in equal portions.


End file.
